Journal of Molecular and Cellular Researches
Year:2019 | Volume:32 | Issue:2|Papers Count:12

Carum carvi L., an herbaceous plant, one year old, belongs to the Chadian dwarf, has antimicrobial and fungicidal effects, which is mainly due to the effects of thymol composition. The induction of polyploidy using mutagenic chemicals has been used as one of the methods for modifying medicinal plants to increase the production capacity of secondary metabolites. In order to investigate the effects of polyploidy induction on Shiraz seedlings, a factorial in a completely randomized format using Colchicine (0. 2, 0. 5, 0. 75 and 1 g/l) and treatment duration (6, 12 and 18 hours) and after obtaining the best concentration and best treatment time, tetraploidy plants and control plants were studied for morphological, physiological and biochemical traits. The results of analysis of variance showed that tetraploid induction was significant on plant height, stem diameter, flower number, number of lateral branches, root diameter, fresh weight, chlorophyll a and b, carotenoid, peroxidase, catalase, total protein and flavonoid. The results of this study showed that 0. 5 g/l concentration and 6 hours duration is the best treatment for ploidy induction in the plant. The number of chromosomes of the diploid plants was 18 and in the tetraploid plants was 36 Therefore, it can be argued that colchicine is effective in inducing polyploidy in a plant. In general, the results of this study showed that tetraploidy plants excelled in terms of quantitative traits, especially anthocyanin, peroxidase, catalase, flavonoids and total protein relative to diploid plants.

Benzene is one of the major pollutants in the air and a chemical compound of the aromatic hydrocarbon group, which is widely used in the industry. Exposure to benzene can lead to biologic damages, especially cancer, as it has been reported in many studies of benzene mortality. In this study, we examined the interaction between benzene and lysozyme enzyme which plays a major role in non-specific immunity in the body and also is a natural antibiotic. Structural changes resulting from the interaction of benzene and egg white lysozyme by spectroscopic methods showed that the protein 3D structure changed in the presence of different concentrations of benzene. Changes in the protein function will induce multiple consequences in the biological phenomena at the cellular levels. Lysozyme extrinsic fluorescence was also indicated a significant increase in the presence of benzene. The results of the chemiluminescence method suggested that, with increasing benzene concentration, the production of free radicals was increased. Therefore, the destructive effect of benzene on the lysozyme structure is due to the production of reactive oxygen radicals. Because of the relationship between structure and function in proteins, benzene plays a major role in its function by changing the protein structure. By measuring the activity of enzyme in the presence of different concentrations of benzene, the lysozyme function was reduced.

In order to identify QTLs controlling traits related to spike population of 103 F3 and F4 family of barely derived from the cross of Badia and Kavir were assessed based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the Agriculture and Natural Resource of Gonbad Kavous University in 2014 and 2016. The studied traits were a grains number in spike, spike length, spikelets in spike, total spike weight, total spike and awn length. Based on a composite interval mapping, nineteen QTLs were identified for the studied traits. Phenotypic variation that was explained by these QTLs, varied from 10-34%. The highest phenotypic variations were related to awn length and grains in a spike in the first and second year respectively. The Highest and lowest LOD scores were obtained for the QTLs of grains in the spike and spike length in the second year respectively. Negative and positive additive effects for identified QTLs showed the inheritance of favorable alleles from both parental lines to progenies in the detected loci. For the studied traits, five QTLs colocated for grain number per spike, spike weight, number of spikelets per spike, spike length and awn length. The markers showed tight linkage with major QTLs, could be used in marker assisted selection breeding programs for selection of superior family and incorporating of favorable alleles in to commercial barley varieties.

Determination of genetic characteristics of animates is the first step in breeding. This research was conducted for evaluation of genetic diversity of dwarf honeybee populations (Apis florea) in southwest and southern of Iran. The sampling was conducted in four provinces of Iran including Khozestan (Dezful and Abadan), Boshehr (Bndardeylm and Khormoj) Fars (Firoozabad and Khorrambid) and Hormozgan (Hamiran and Bandar Abbas). For studying of the genetic characteristics, partial COI, tRNA leu, intergenic region and partial COII were evaluated. Phylogenetic trees were drawn by Baysian and Maximum Parsimony (MP) methods. After sequence alignment, there was one and two single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in partial COI and intergenic region (situated between tRNA leu and COII) respectively in studied populations of Iran. Sequences of COI gene grouped the studied populations in three groups including Dylam, Firozabad, Abadan and Homeyran in the first group, Khormoj and Bandarabas in the second group and Dezfol and Khorambid in the third group. In addition, COI gene showed more genetic diversity in dwarf honeybee populations in southwest and southern areas of Iran.

Since the production of maize hybrids needs to selection and crossing of desirable inbred lines, identification of lines with suitable genetic characteristics is one of the objectives of plant breeders. In this study, ISSR markers were used to assess genetic diversity in 100 inbred lines of maize. Sixteen primers amplified 81 loci, of which 78 (95. 12 %) were polymorphic. The maximum and minimum number of polymorphic bands were produced by UBC825 (8 loci) and UBC811 (2 loci) primers, respectively. The polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0. 65 (UBC849) to 0. 93 (443), with an average of 0. 77. Cluster analysis based on Jaccard’ s similarity coefficient and complete linkage algorithm categorized the studied lines into 3 main clusters. The analysis of molecular variance using ISSR data showed that 9% of the variation was explained by the variation among population and 91% by the variation within population. The results showed that the ISSR markers capable to display a high degree of polymorphism among lines and are useful tools for fingerprinting and categorizing of maize genotypes into different groups. This feature can be used in determining heterotic groups and prediction of heterosis in maize hybrid production.

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among females. Resistance and cytotoxicity of anticancer drugs are the reasons that warrant the search for newer anticancer agents, and researchers from various laboratories are engaged to find a more pleasant solution for treatment of cancer. Hydrazide derivatives have shown various pharmacological activities including antibacterial, antifungal, analgesic, antiinflammatory, antidepressant and anticancer activities. With this point in mind, a novel hydrazide derivative, compound (1)[N'-((5nitrothiophen-2-YL)methylene)-2(phenylthio) benzohydrazide] was synthesized and its anticancer activity was evaluated in breast cancer cell line. To further confirm our previous data, we investigated the anti-mammary tumor activity of this compound in BALB/c mice bearing 4T1breast cancer cells. 4T1 mammary carcinoma cells (10 6 ) were injected into the mammary fat pad of female BALB/c mice to produce breast tumor. Histopathology experiment was also performed to demonstrate the metastasis. i. p. administration of three doses of compound (1) at doses of 1, 10, 50 mg/Kg, significantly retarded growth of tumor after 3 weeks. Regression of tumor growth, which occurred in weeks 3 to 4, was associated with extensive necrosis and infiltration of leukocytes and confirmed by histopathological method. Importantly, compound (1) (1mg/kg) effectively prevented the lung metastasis, which demonstrated by histopathology experiments. Our results collectively revealed the great potential of compound (1) as a promising chemotherapeutic candidate for human breast cancers.

Little information is available about structural and functional characteristics of insecticidal Xpt protein complex. Awareness of the functional and binding domains is important to create new and more efficient gene constructs by eliminating unessential areas or put up functional domains adjacent to other proteins and produce new multifunctional toxins. Therefore, in this study the biological computing of this complex was done in order to acquiring data about the characteristics of its different areas. After extracting of this complex gene and protein sequences consist of XptA1, XptA2, XptB1 and XptC1 subunits from databases, structural and functional monitoring include physicochemical properties, topology, host range, secondary and three-dimensional structures was done by common softwares. The results reveal the secretion independent of signal peptides, domains related to insecticidal properties and other functions. Also functional domains BLAST leading to tracing broad spectrum of gram-negative bacteria with these sequences that up to now their ability in biocontrol not to be exist. Secondary structure indicates helix nature of functional area in XptA1 and XptA2 and strand of XptC1. Design and evaluation of three-dimensional structures report acceptable quality of all subunits except XptB1. In addition, the desirable functionality of XptC1 compared with other subunits in connection to actin was obtained. The results of this study reveal basic information of different areas of Xpt toxin complex that provides designing of new gene constructs based on synthetic biology.

Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the second most cancer related death in the world. It causes the highest mortality rates in Asia. Gastric cancer is a progressive malignancy, diagnosed in the metastasis stage in 79% of cases. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a well-known process, in which tumor cells acquired their invasion properties. MircoRNAs (miRs) are small non-coding RNA molecules regulating EMT suppression/activation epigenetically. For instance, the miR-200 family members are important in EMT suppression and their downregulation occurred in gastric cancer tissue in compare with normal tissues. The members of this family, therefore, might be have diagnostic or therapeutic value. This study was aimed to investigate the glucose-related effects of metformin on expression of miR-141 and mir200a in a gastric cancer cell line. For doing this, The AGS cells were treated with minimal effective dose of metformin (10 mM) determined by MTT for 72 hours and afterwards the target miRs levels were measured by real-time PCR. The results showed the upregulation of the both miR-141 and miR-200a depending on glucose level and metformin exposure time. Glucose differently regulated the expression of the both miRs. Since the suppression of miR-200 family members is associated with a reduction in the survival rate of patients, it is hoped that applying metformin with other standard treatments play a step forward in improving the common treatments of gastric cancer.

Proteases are one of the most important groups of industrial enzymes. They are extensively used in food, textile, detergent, pharmaceutical, and leather industries and especially as additives in laundry detergent industry. Subtilisin (EC 3. 4. 21. 62) is important serine protease from Bacillus licheniformis. Extensive research has been conducted on the stability of proteases in organic solvents, because they have numerous applications in organic media. Organic solvents are advantageous in enzyme-catalyzed peptide synthesis, both to solubilize substrates and product and to manipulate reaction kinetics and equilibrium to increase product yield. In this study, the activity and stability of the subtilisin were investigated at different concentrations of organic solvent of ethanol, DMSO and n-hexane. For study of activity and stability of the subtilisin, it was treated with different concentrations of ethanol, n-hexane and DMSO (0-60%) and their combinations(0-10%), then was assayed at 0/65% of casein as substrate, after that Folin Ciocalteau reagent absorbance was measured at 660 nm. The results showed that subtilisin retained more than 82% of its initial activity after 1 h incubation with 10% organic solvent at 40 º C. Relative activity of the enzyme monotonically decreased with increasing concentration of this organic solvent. The reducing effect of DMSO on enzymatic activity was lower than ethanol and n-hexane. Organic solvents have effect on electrostatic interactions of proteins because their dielectric constant differs from water. In general reduction in solvent polarity and dielectric constant, lead to loosening the protein structure. Inhibitory effect of solvent on enzyme activity increases with LogP elevation, since hexane and ethanol has more inhibitory effect on subtilisin activity than DMSO.

Todays, secondary metabolites from microorganisms have been used to improve food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Extremophile microorganisms are one of the resources for the secondary metabolites. The heavy metal resistant halotolerants were isolated from Haj AliGholi Khan Salt Lake. The potential of the isolates for producing secondary metabolites were molecularly investigated by amplification of nrpS genes with specific primers A3/A7 and NS1/NS2. In the screening of Haj AliGholi Khan Lake microorganisms; 13% of isolates from MGM, 19. 5% from MH, 43. 75% from SWN, 3. 7% from LNSWN and 20. 62% from normal Nutrient agar were obtained. The halotolerants were highly resistant against Ni and highly susceptible to Cd. Three to 7 PCR products were identified from optimized PCR reaction of nrpS genes of heavy metal resistant halotolerant with specific primers. Existence of nrpS genes among halotolerant and semi-halophile microorganisms from Haj AliGholi Khan Salt Lake revealed a direct relation between heavy metal resistance and genetic potential for producing secondary metabolites.

Ursolic Acid ( as known, ursol, prunol, malol, 3β-hydroxyl-urs-12-en-28-oic acid) is a natural lipophilic, triterpenoid which exist in wide range of plant and fruits. In recent decades, it was appreciated due to biological potential and therapeutic effects of this compound. In this review article, it is tried to explain the source of food which exist Ursolic Acid, biosynthesis, extraction and purification, absorption level, distribution, and also pratective effects on the body organs such as brain, skeletal muscle, liver and pharmacological effects such as anti-cancer effect, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetics and anti-microbila in opposed of variety of bacteria, fungi and virus as like as HIV, HBV. In addition, this review study showed that Ursolic Acid may a potential candidate in prevention of dysfunction and diseases such as Alzheimer, atherosclerosis, muscle atrophy, pulmonary inflammation, overweight, the type of cancers (liver, stomach, intestine, pancreas, skin and so on), diabetes type 2, HIV and also aging and age-related diseases. Finally, this article hoped to present beneficial effects of Ursolic Acid in utilizing of food, drug, medicine, cosmetics.

Titin is the longest protein found in striated skeletal and cardiac muscle myofibrils. This protein with a length of about 1µ m, has multiple domains consisting of PEVK region (proline, glutamic acid, valine, and lysine residues), and immunoglobulin-like (Ig) and fibronectin domains. In muscles, titin owns unique elastic properties in the I-band region and it is responsible for restoration of muscle to its slack length during the passive contractions. I27 (27 th immunoglobulin domain) is one of the important regions of titin which has been studied extensively by researchers. An important feature of this region is the connection with calcium ion which charges the region and causes pH to change. In this paper the unfolding force of I27 domain has been investigated by considering various pHs in three states of neutral, acidic and basic, using steered molecular dynamic simulations. The results showed that unfolding stiffness of I27 domain depends significantly on pH changes. It decreases by increasing or decreasing pH value and getting away from the neutral state. In the neutral state the highest value of force is needed to break the hydrogen bonds and start the unfolding process. According to the results, titin’ s performance can be improved by changing pH. This proves useful in cases where titin is stiffer than usual or there is a malfunction in the unfolding process.